Dual wheel assembly



Dec 19,1944;

c. s. ASH DUAL WHEEL ASSEMBLY Filed June 30, 1943 m m m m HTTOIFNEf Watented were.) th l@% blind hh l @Ft-HQ ascents near. wanna assist/mar @harles S. Ash, ltililtord, Ivliieh. Application time so. was, Serial No. states (or. sci-as) 9 @lairns.

The present invention relates to dual wheel assemblies in which the individual wheels of the assembly areindependently relatively rotatable.

Objects and advantages oi the invention will. be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may. be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, con structions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawing, referred to-here- I in. and constituting a part hereof, illustrates one embodiment of the invention, and together with llii) the description, serves to explain the principlesof the invention. y

it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved dual wheel assembly for vehicles in which the individual wheels of the assembly are independently relatively. rotatable. A further object is the provision of such a dual wheel assembly which will afford greater flotation and maneuverability for a vehicle in mud, sand or other soft footing. Still another object is the provision of an independ= ently rotatable dual wheel assembly mounted. on

a relatively short axle or spindle member but still affording the proper wheel spacing of inwardly dished web type wheels. The invention further provides an easily assembled and disassembled differential dual wheel'assembly and one having smaller members which are more eas ily manuiactured. 1 1 l merit about the end of axle It, the spindle having upper andlower yoke arms 08 mounted on the'muckle it and about king-pin it by means of anti-friction bearings H and relatively thick washer members it. Upper andlower cap members it secured to the yoke arms is by means of nuts 2d; and a steering arm 2i and tie'rod armtt secured to the upper and lower cap members complete the dirlgible spindle as sembly of the embodiment of the invention shown.

An inner hub member 25 is mounted for free rotation upon the spindle it by means or an inner anti-friction bearing 2t and an outer antifriction bearing 27. 'The inner bearing 26 seats inwardly against a substantial washer member 2d and outwardly against an inwardly extending annular shoulder 29 of the hub 25. The outer bearing 21? seats inwardly against an inwardly extendin annular shoulder 30 of the hub 25, and the assembly is maintained in position by nuts 3i and. 32 threaded on the end of the spindle it.

A substantially cylindrical hub extension member 35 is secured to the outer end of the inner hub 25 by means of bolts 3t threaded into the end of the hub and cooperating nuts ti. The nuts 3'5 are of frusto conical shape to engage cooperatingly formed surfaces about circular apertures in a web 39 which is an integral part of the extension member 35. The web 38 thus serves to seal ofi the end of the spindle and bearing assembly from entrance of dust and moisture and loss of lubricant, and to provide a firm anchoring member for securing the hub extension to the inner hub 25.

At its outer end the extension member 35 is provided with a plurality of outwardly radially extending spoke portions to having apertures to receive wheel mounting bolts dl. An outer wheel. web it is mounted and secured on the spokes db and boltsdl by means of nuts M, at and spacing cap 55, and the wheel web is positioned in inwardly dished relation to the wheel assembly. A rim member d6 is provided on the wheel web for mounting a pneumatic vehicle tire. A circular cover plate tl may be provided over the-outer end of extension member 35 to prevent accumulation therein of dirt and mud.

An outer cylindrical hub member 5t] is pro vided for the inner wheel of the dual wheel assembly. The hub Fed is Journalled in telescopic relationship'upon the inner hub 25 and inter- 1 hub bushings 5| are interposed to insure free independent rotation of the hubs. The interhub bushing 5i inwardly of the assembly is wider than the outer bushing, because the load carried isgreater, the inner wheel of the assembly being mounted substantially centrally of the innor bushing and being inwardly dished. The inner end of outer hub 5% is positioned by an outwardly radially extending integral annular shoulder E2 on the inner end of hub 25, and a thrust bearing 53 is positioned between the shoulder at; E2 and the end of the outer hub tit.

The outer end of hub 50 is maintained in position against the inner end of the extension member 35, said extension and the outer hub being in substantially cylindrical alignment. A cylindrical inwardly extending portion 55 of extension 35 overlaps the outer end of hub 50, and a packing ring 56 is interposed to seal the bearing and hub assembly at this place. An annular thrust bearing 51 is interposed between the ends of extension 35 and hub 50 to take the outward thrust of the hub.

The hub and bearing assembly is further protected and sealed by the provision of an annular plat 58 at the inner end of the assembly, which is outwardly cylindrically turned to maintain a packing ring 59 over the inner thrust bearing 53.

The inner hub 25 is provided with an external groove or cavity 63 about its central portion in order to provide a lubricant storage space between the wheel hubs 25, 50 and between the inter-hub bushings A plurality of outwardly radially extending spoke members 60 are provided at the inner end of the outer hub 50 and integral therewith. An inner wheel web BI is mounted on spokes 60 by means of mounting bolts 4|, nuts '43 and 44 and spacing members 45 identical with those for the outer wheel web 42. The inner wheel web BI is mounted in inwardly dished relationship similarly to the outer wheel web, and is likewise provided with a pneumatic tire mounting rim 46.

With the independently rotatable dual wheel assembly shown and described it is apparent that a relatively short spindle. I5 has been utilized to mount the wheel webs 42 and 6|, and that the rims and tires may have a proper spacing by means of the telescoped arrangement of the hubs 25 and 50 and the use of a hub extension member 35 for the inner hub. It is further'apparent that the wheel webs may be mounted on the spindle l5 in inwardly dished relation which is desirable for maintaining flotation of the assembly in soft footing and preventing accumulation of mud, sand and dirt in the dished portion of the outer wheel. The wheel assembly may be conveniently assembled and disassembled and .the separable inner hub and extension construction for rotatably mounting the outer wheel web promotes this as well as providing smaller parts to be manufactured and handled. The groove 63 is filled with lubricant at the same time the bearings 25 and 21 are packed with lubricant. It will be noted that lubricant in groove 63 will be thrown outwardly by centrifugal action when the wheel assembly is in operation and the hubs are rotating. The lubricant is thus forced outwardly and into the inter-hub bushings 5|, providing adequate and automatic lubrication of the telescoped hub construction.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:

l. A dual wheel assembly comprising, in combination, a rotatably mounted hub member, a second hub member journalled on the first hub the extension and the other mounted on the inner end of the second hub member.

2. A dual wheel assembly comprising, in combination, a rotatably mounted hub member, a second hub member journalled on the exterior of the first hub member for independent relative rotation, an axially outwardly extending substantially cylindrical hub extension removably secured to the outer end of the first hub, and a pair of wheels one mounted on the outer end of the extension and the other mounted on the inner end of the second hub member.

3. A dual wheel assembly comprising, in combination, a rotatably mounted hub member, an outwardly radially extending shoulder on the inner end of said hub member, a substantially cylindrical outwardly axially extending hub extension removably .secured to the outer end of the hub member, said extension having a greater outer diameter than said hub member, a second hub member journalled on the exterior of the first hub member between the inner end of the extension and the shoulder, and inwardly dished member for independent relative rotation, a hub extension removably secured to the first hub at the outer end thereof, and a pair of inwardly dished wheels one mounted on the outer end of wheels mounted on the outer end of the extension and the inner end of the second hub.

4. A dual wheel assembly comprising, in combination, a rotatably mounted hub member, an outwardly radially extending shoulder on the inner end of said hub member, a substantially cylindrical outwardly axially extending hub extension removably secured to the outer end of the hub member, said extension having a greater outer diameter than said hub member, a second hub member journalled on the exterior of the first hub member between the inner end of the extension and the shoulder, thrust bearings between the, ends of the second hub member and the inner end of the extension and the shoulder, and inwardly dished wheels mounted on the outer end of the extension and the inner end of the second hub.

5. A dual wheel assembly comprising, in combination, a spindle, a hub member rotatably mounted on the spindle by anti-friction bearings,

to the outer end of the extension and the other secured to the inner end of the second hub member.

6. Hubs for an independently rotatable dual Wheel assembly comprising, in combination, a rotatably'mounted hub member, a substantially cylindrical hub extension member removably secured to the outer end of said hub member, a second hub member-journalled on the exterior of the first hub member for independent relative rotation, and means at the'outer end of the extension member and the inner end of the second hub member for mounting wheels thereon.

7. Hubs for an independently rotatable dual wheel assembly comprising, in combination, a rotatably mounted 'hub member, a substantially cylindrical hub extension member removably secured to the outer end of said hub member, a second hub member in substantially cylindrical alignment with said extension member journalled on the exterior of the first hub member for independent relative rotation, and means at the outer endoifthe extension member and the inner end of the second hub member for mounting wheels thereon;

8. A dual wheel assembly comprising, in comv bination, a spindle, a hub member rotatably mounted on the spindle said spindle being subcured to the outer end of said hub member, a

stantially wholly enclosed in said hub member, I

a substantially cylindrical hub extension removably secured to the outer end of the hub member, a second hub journalled on the exterior of the first hub member for independent relative rotation, and wheels mounted at the outer end of the extension and the inner end of the second hub member. Y i

cylindrical hub extension member removably sesecond hub member Journalled on the exterior of the first hub member for independent relative rotation, a substantially cylindrical bushing memv ber between the hub members adjacent the outer ends thereof, a wider substantially cylindrical bushing member between. the hubs adjacent the inner ends thereoL-meansat the outer end of the extension member for mounting a wheel thereon, and means at the inner end of the second hub member for mounting a, wheel thereon to position said wheel substantially centrally of 9. Hubs for an independently rotatable dual is the length of said wider bushing member.

wheel assembly comprising, in combination, a ro- CHARLES S. ASH. 

